<\/p>\n
Has anyone \u00a0heard this before? I\u2019d love to know who originated the thought.<\/p>\n
Some time ago a wag said that young writers tend to be seen in groups. Once they get going and are published, they are usually found alone.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
My experiences tends to bear this out. After I practiced with the writers\u2019 group I had joined, I wound up alone to finish my first novel. \u00a0This was not all by design. My life changed making it difficult to attend the weekly meetings.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m a social person who\u2019s always enjoyed sharing drafts with a small group of test readers and continued to find people who\u2019s input I valued.<\/p>\n
An author always needs a tried and true person who can be trusted to give honest feedback. Without such an individual, it is too easy to believe the work is the best thing since <Insert Best Author Here><\/strong> only to find out the writing contains flaws in style, logic, or vague descriptions within a scene that need to be addressed before it is ready for serious consideration.<\/p>\n
It is possible to isolate one\u2019s self and write with no input from outsiders. I have too much fun talking with friends either about the subject of my stories or the actual story itself.<\/p>\n
If you go the route I did, be aware that most of your friends will not want to hear about your writing all the time.\u00a0When in the middle of a manuscript it may be hard to realize this, but it\u2019s true – your friends have their own lives which they must tend to. \u00a0They may honestly want to hear about something other than the next Great Book that is going to win all kinds of awards. Fortunately, I\u2019ve been blessed with friends who were interested in my subject and remain willing to talk to me as my work\u00a0evolves.<\/p>\n
After you finish your obligatory time in a writers\u2019 group, how big should your support group be?<\/strong><\/p>\n
If you have a reliable confidant, one may be sufficient. If you are looking for specialists, you\u2019ll need more.<\/p>\n
Should you look for people who know you well, or not so much?<\/strong><\/p>\n
There are advantages to both. Someone who does not know you well may give straighter answers. A family member may be more reliable. It cuts both ways.<\/p>\n
In an interview with Bill Moyers, author\u00a0John Grisham told a story about why he does not write sex into his stories. He tried once and gave a page to his wife for comment. If I remember it right, she sat in the living room and some time later handed the page back to him smiling saying, \u201cYou don\u2019t know anything.\u201d He said he never tried again.<\/p>\n
My wife is a former typesetter. About 25 years ago she came across a short introduction I had written and\u00a0 asked with great incredulity, \u201cYOU wrote this?\u201d Today she is my greatest help.<\/p>\n
Proofreading is supposed to be the last step prior to publishing.<\/strong> I paid a professor with a doctorate in literature to proof the first draft of Unfolding: Awakening<\/em>. It was one of the best investments I made. I received honest constructive feedback that allowed me to focus in on what was needed for the second draft. She only ridiculed one scene. Interestingly, it was one that was close to an event which actually happened. My professor could not imagine people being so silly.<\/p>\n
Embarrassed, like Grisham, I cut the scene. Truth or not, I didn\u2019t want to be laughed at.\u00a0 In honesty, it wasn\u2019t necessary for the chapter and the book is probably better without it.<\/p>\n
I believe my friends who acted as test readers would like to read new stories once they come out. They probably have had enough of Awakening<\/em> and the second manuscript, Nexus<\/em>, to care about more than occasional updates as we work through the final stages of getting Nexus<\/em> ready. I\u2019ve sent a few scenes from the third manuscript and gotten good feedback.<\/p>\n
For the social part of me it\u2019s great fun to share these new stories and learn what my real life friends think about my imaginary friends and the situations they\u2019ve gotten themselves into.<\/p>\n
Last year ConiAnn found an ad for an ultra expensive apartment in New York City and for fun asked if the character Andrea might live in a posh place like it. One our friends fired a reply back, “Holy god, no, Andrea would never live there.\u00a0 WAY too gaudy for our Andrea.\u00a0\u00a0 Please don\u2019t see her there!”<\/p>\n
No worries, she’s safe from that – for now.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Thanks for checking in,<\/p>\n
– Jeffrey A. Limpert<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
__________________<\/span><\/p>\n
\u00a0Image Information:<\/strong><\/p>\n
This photo of an actual writing group gathering is by Zack Hample, from ZackHample.com.<\/p>\n
Updated on 03\/13\/2012<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"